Imprint lithography stamp method of making and using the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a stamp ( 14 ) for an imprint lithography process, the stamp comprising an elastomer stamp body including a polysiloxane bulk portion ( 110 ) and a patterned surface comprising a feature pattern ( 16 ) for imprinting an imprinting composition ( 12 ) wherein the elastomer stamp body comprises a basic organic amine in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight based on the total weight of the elastomer stamp body. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing such a stamp, and a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate using such a stamp.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 providing an elastomer stamp body including: an organic polymeric bulk portion and a patterned surface; 
 impregnating the elastomeric stamp body with an amount of a basic organic substance dissolved in a solvent to provide an impregnated elastomer stamp body, the substance comprising an amount of a basic organic group, the amount of the basic organic group being suitable to influence solidification of an imprinting composition upon contacting of a the-manufactured stamp with the imprinting composition; 
 removing at least part of the solvent from the impregnated elastomer stamp body to leave the elastomer stamp body comprising the basic organic substance; and 
 contacting the elastomeric stamp body with an imprinting composition wherein the substance comprising a basic organic group promotes solidification of the imprinting composition by crosslinking. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic polymeric bulk portion comprises a polysiloxane and the impregnating is performed by dissolving an amount of the basic organic substance in an organic solvent. 
     
     
       3. A method of manufacturing a stamp, the method comprising:
 providing a mixture of:
 one or more precursors each comprising at least one first reactive group with which it can polymerise to form an organic polymeric bulk portion, and 
 a substance comprising a basic organic group, or comprising a protected basic organic group which does not substantially prohibit the polymerisation of the one or more precursors; 
 
 polymerising the organic polymeric bulk portion precursor to form the organic polymeric bulk portion having enclosed therein the substance; and 
 when the substance comprises the protected basic organic group, deprotecting the basic organic group to provide the basic organic group. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one or more precursors comprises:
 a first polysiloxane precursor having as the at least one first reactive group at least two groups each including an unsaturated bond and each chosen from the group consisting of alkyne, alkene, vinyl, aldehyde, ketone and imine, and 
 a second polysiloxane precursor having at least two hydrosilane groups, and wherein the mixture further comprises 
 a hydrosilylation catalyst for catalysing an addition of an hydrosilane group across the unsaturated bond and wherein the polymerisation includes causing the addition of the hydrosilane groups across the unsaturated bonds to therewith form the organic polymeric bulk portion. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the substance further comprises at least one second reactive group for reacting with the first reactive group, and wherein the polymerisation includes causing a reaction between the first reactive group and the second reactive group to therewith attach the substance to the organic polymeric bulk portion. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein
 the one or more precursors comprise:
 a first polysiloxane precursor having as the at least one first reactive group at least two groups each including an unsaturated bond and each chosen from the group consisting of alkyne, alkene, vinyl, aldehyde, ketone and imine, and 
 a second polysiloxane precursor having at least two hydrosilane groups, and 
 
 the at least one second reactive group is chosen from the group consisting of alkyne, alkene, vinyl, aldehyde, ketone, imine and hydrosilane; and 
 
       the mixture further comprises:
 a hydrosilylation catalyst for catalysing an addition of an hydrosilane group across the unsaturated bond; and wherein the polymerisation includes causing the addition of the hydrosilane groups across the unsaturated bonds to therewith form the organic polymeric bulk portion. 
 
     
     
       7. A method of forming a patterned layer, the method comprising:
 providing a layer of an imprinting composition, the imprinting composition being capable of solidification under the influence of a basic organic group; 
 contacting the imprinting composition layer with a stamp comprising a patterned surface such that the layer is solidified by crosslinking and a relief feature pattern is imprinted into the layer of the cured imprinting composition; 
 wherein the stamp comprises an elastomer stamp body including an organic polymeric bulk portion containing an amount of a basic organic substance, the substance comprising an amount of the basic organic group suitable to influence solidification of the imprinting composition upon contacting of the stamp with the imprinting composition; 
 retaining the contact between the layer of the imprinting composition and the stamp until the imprinted composition has reached a desired degree of solidification; and releasing the stamp from the solidified layer of the imprinting composition to yield the patterned layer. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the imprinting composition comprises a sol-gel based imprinting composition. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing is performed, such that, after the removing of the at least part of the organic solvent, the basic organic substance in the elastomer stamp body is at least 0.1% by weight based on a total weight of the elastomer stamp body. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing includes rinsing the impregnated elastomer stamp body, to reduce the at least part of the solvent from the impregnated elastomer stamp body. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing includes drying the impregnated elastomer stamp body to evaporate the al least part of the solvent in the impregnated elastomer stamp body. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing includes:
 rinsing the impregnated elastomer stamp body, to reduce the at least part of the solvent from the impregnated elastomer stamp body; and 
 after the rinsing, drying the impregnated elastomer stamp body to evaporate the al least part of the solvent in the impregnated elastomer stamp body.